for PATTAYA TRADER 266 (A)

A VINTAGE VOICE
You speak down the telephone,
your voice is like wine
flowing down the line,
pouring along the grapevine.
I love your tone, yes love your tone;
it's in my veins and heart's-home.

ICE AND FIRE
One extreme
leads to the other.
Of Far Left and Far Right
I am no brother.
States own no man,
whatever the weather.

for PATTAYA TRADER 265 (H)

DRUNK ONCE A BLUE MOON ?
Whether from a flagon
or from a demijohn,
drunk she's off her wagon,
sober the gypsy's on.

Flat on her back she's fine,
gazing up at the shiny moon.
Flat on her back from red wine
the gypsy spies the blue balloon.

A DICTATOR'S DICTATION
The Berlin bonfire
saw the books burn.
Old books, new books,
and soon the bookworm.

Talent had to write
by the untalented's command.
Talent held a pen
and the Dictator gun in hand.

OVERREACTED ?
"Come storm the Winter Palace !"
"Come storm the Bastille !"
No fury like a people scorned.
It's no breeze feeling under the heel.

for PATTAYA TRADER 265 (G)

A GRAND IMAGINATION
Kids like a good fairy-story
before their bedtime snores.
We know there aren't dragons
but sure once were dinosaurs.
We know there aren't wizards
but we all have magic daydreams.
Some lack an imagination,
though not the kids it seems.

TIPSY-CAME-OUT-TOPSY ?
Winston got far drunker
speaking from his bunker
during the Second World War.
British bulldog the man,
on two legs couldn't stand,
went down on all-fours.
The bulldog no bull took.
He didn't like the look
of the Nazi Hitler.
His evil ankle he bit,
Germany was over tipped.
A winner was the tippler.

UNDERCOVER AGENCY ?
She was bound for Bond Street.
Bound for Bond Street the blonde.
She went seeking the guy James
of whose films she was fond.
She knocked on a blue door
that had the number 007.
To the man who opened it
said "Hi, I'm Pearly Heaven !"
To a red door the guy pointed,
said "James'll be a bit late,
but go lie in the bedroom
with the other girls and wait."
It was thirty minutes passed
before the man with charm
entered into his bedroom
with a beauty on each arm,
said "You're all working undercover.
Don't need to set the alarm."

for PATTAYA TRADER 265 (F)

YOUNG CHARMER YOU SURE ARE !
I am old, very old,
but youthful looks you see?
Yes I've youthful looks
you are telling me.
You ask am I a wizard ?
Am I a Doctor Dee ?!
You say I am not wizened
and must have longevity.
I'm not as old as that,
you dear, you fine lady !
No not as old as that,
you charming young beauty.

for PATTAYA TRADER 265 (E)

A HAND ON HEART
The hand that feeds
is so often bitten
by the meritless
who are often smitten
by that attained
by those who merit.
They'd eat the hands
the hearts to inherit ?

THE-CASTLE-QUEEN'S-
HEAVY-CROWN-VERSE-YES
By Clifford's Tower
the two of them met.
The sun in full-flower
like a dandelion. Yet
as if under a cloud
drooped a heavy head.
"Our love's sure a ruin
like York Castle," she said.

for PATTAYA TRADER 265 (D)

A CHEAPSIDE CHEAPSKATE'S WAITRESS
The girl worked in Cheapside,
on tables she'd there wait.
She served a guy who'd money
but was a lewd-cheapskate.

He told her he was wealthy
and looking for a bride.
She told him she was waiting...
and by waiting she'd abide !

THE VOLCANIC LOVERS
With heated desire
the lovers lay;
ever after found
in cold clay.

Vulcan, he voiced
his wrath in fire,
vented on a town
his very own desire.

LIVING OVER THE BROOM
They leapt over a brush,
are now on honeymoon.
Swept off her feet the girl
by her broomstick-groom.

She finds it's very magical.
Leap and sure you're wed
just like the poor of old.
No sweeping under the bed !

for PATTAYA TRADER 265 (C)

JORVIK VERSE
York's city walls,
its castle within.
Guy Fawkes born here.
Arrived Dick Turpin.
An inland port
for the old Vikings.
The Burton Stone
kept out plague victims.
The poet Auden
with his ink-ins.
Once ruled here
the great King Edwin.

A RED TO BLUE WOLF'S ROAR
Red bill on the floor.
The wolf's at your door.
It makes you blue
and the one to roar !

ODD COD !
Were you meant to fly
you'd have bird-wings ?
I've seen you swim,
where're your fish-fins ?!

for PATTAYA TRADER 265 (B)

ON AN UN-SHIPSHAPE STATE
A damn riot in Grosvenor !
At Downing Street's number ten
rounds-off a Square day
a sure out-of-shape PM.

THE-NEEDLE-TRACKS-ALONG-HER-ARM-
ARE-NOW-AN-OLD-SONG
She chances the arm
with a dirty needle
there upon her very
old-record-table.

The music crackles
along the worn track.
All will one day
turn to vinyl black.